Elevator system

ABSTRACT

A plurality of separate elevator cars are movable vertically in the same elevator shaft. Each car is self-propelled and can move laterally from the shaft at any floor, to a loading or unloading station, leaving the shaft clear for passage of other cars past that station in the same shaft. All cars move upwardly in one shaft and when they reach the top are transferred to the top of a second shaft and can move downwardly therein in the same leapfrog manner. As each car reaches the bottom of the second shaft it transfers to the bottom of the first shaft for upward movement therein.

United States Patent Salter [451 Apr. 25, 1972 [54] ELEVATOR SYSTEM3,464.363 9/1969 Wishart ..l86ll x [72] Inventor: g; :E'gi'ugggg lnksterRoad Primary Examiner-Richard E.Aegerter 8 Assistant Examiner-Merle F.Maffei [22] Filed: Sept. 15, 1970 AtrorneyBacon & Thomas 21 Appl. No.:72,480

[57] ABSTRACT A plurality of separate elevator cars are movablevertically in the same elevator shaft. Each car is self-propelled andcan move laterally from the shaft at any floor, to a loading orunloading station, leaving the shaft clear for passage of other carspast that station in the same shaft. All cars move upwardly in one shaftand when they reach the top are transferred to the top of a second shaftand can move downwardly therein in the same leap-frog manner. As eachcar reaches the bottom of the second shaft it transfers to the bottom ofthe first shaft for upward movement therein.

5 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures i 1 10s l w PATEHTEB AFR 2 5 I972 SHEET 2[IF 5 I'vVIJNI UH. WILLIAM G. SALTER III/IIII1III]IIIIIIIIII/(IIIIIII/ljll PAYENTEU PR 2 5 IS? INVENTOR.

WILUAH G. SALTER ATTUHNHYS ELEVATOR SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis invention is in the field of elevator systems for multistorybuildings.

Conventional elevator systems employ a vertical shaft for each elevatorcar; thus, if eight elevators are needed for a building, eight differentshafts must be provided and obviously this occupies a great deal offloor space. Each elevator car is conventionally suspended from a cablesystem extending vertically through the shaft and by which the car isremoved. It has been proposed to provide two or more cars in each shaftbut each car must move in unison with the others. It has also beenproposed to provide elevators going up in one shaft and down in anadjacent shaft whereby a plurality of cars may be moving in the samedirection at the same time in a single shafl. All such proposals,however, involved simultaneous movement of all cars so that when one ofthem stops, they all stop.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an elevatorsystem for a multi-story structure wherein a multiplicity of elevatorcars use the same shaft but move and stop therein independently of eachother. The shaft defines a vertical passageway for the movement of thecars and has guide means for guiding the cars vertically therein. Ateach story level of the building guide means are provided to beselectively engaged by a car so that it can be caused to move laterallyout of the vertical passageway to a stop position at that story level,thus leaving the main vertical passageway clear and unobstructed for thepassage of other elevator cars therein. In a preferred form, twoadjacent elevator shafts are provided and all the cars move upwardly inone shaft, then are transferred to the other and moved downwardlytherein, all cars being capable of stopping at any story level at aposition clear of the vertical shaft. At the bottom of the second shaftthe cars are then transferred to the bottom of the first or up shaft andthe cycle is repeated. Thus, a great number of elevator cars may beemployed in the two vertical shafts.

In another embodiment of the invention, a main floor level carryingheavy passenger traffic is arranged so that the guide means of thevertical shaft provide at least two vertical shaft portions at the mainstory level and, thus, at least two cars may be simultaneously stoppedat the main floor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a schematic verticalsectional view through a multi-story building showing the elevatorsystem of the present invention in diagrammatic form;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on the line 22ofFIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view corresponding to the upper central portion ofFIG. 3, showing parts in greater detail;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side view of a portion of the system with partsshown in section;

FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a schematic vertical sectional view, similar to FIG. I, butshowing a different embodiment;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are fragmentary side views of portions of the system ofFIG. 8; and

FIG. 11 is an enlarged vertical sectional view on the line 11l1ofFlG.10.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIG. I, amulti-story building structure 2 is shown as having a plurality offloor-ceiling slabs 4, defining different story levels for the building.Openings 6 in the slabs 4 define elevator shafts comprising a firstshaft 8 and a second shaft 10 separated by a partition wall 12.Extending upwardly in the shaft 8 and downwardly in the shaft 10 is acentral guide and traction arrangement 14, to be described in greaterdetail. At each story level lateral guide and traction means 16 areprovided which will also be described later. The openings 6 in the slabs4, on each side of the partition 12 are of sufficient width toaccommodate two elevator cars, one moving upwardly or downwardly alongthe central guide means 14 and another at a stop position on a selectedone of the horizontal means 16. It is contemplated that each story levelbe provided with more or less conventional elevator doors, as shown indotted line at 18 at the lowermost floor, in FIG. I. The central guidemeans 14 are joined at their top by a horizontal continuation thereof 20and at the bottom of the building by a horizontal continuation thereof22 whereby the central guide means 14 are in eflect a continuous loopwith a vertical portion in each of the shafts 8 and 10.

A multiplicity of identical elevator cars 24 are provided. As shown inFIG. 1 eight such cars are present. Each elevator car 24 is providedwith a suspension and traction device, indicated in FIG. 1, generally bythe numeral 26, and which will be described in greater detail hereafter.Each of the devices 26 engages the guide and traction means 14-16 to notonly support each elevator car but to provide traction for moving eachcar along the guiding means independently of movement of the other cars.Each car 24 is also provided with rollers 28 carried by pivoted arms 30.The arms 30 are normally held in the position shown by torsion springs31 (see FIG. 2). Each arm can be pivoted in either direction about itspivot 33 against the resistance of spring 31. The partition 12 isprovided with guide rails 32 engageable by certain of the rollers 28 andat each story level there are provided guide rails 34 for engagement ofthe two upper rollers 28 of the cars. When the rollers 28 engage eitherrails 32 or 34 the springs 31 are slightly flexed, to provide stabilityto the car. It will be obvious that an elevator car moving upwardly inthe shaft 8 and suspended from the mechanism 26 will be stabilized bythe rollers 28 on one side thereof engaging the track 32. Likewise whena car 24 is on one of the lateral guide means 16, at a stop position,the upper and lower guide rollers on that car engage trackways 34 tostabilize the car. Means to be described provide an independent sourceof power for each elevator car 24 and which power sources drivestraction members engageable with the guide means to cause an elevatorcar to move along the described guide means. Any car can be caused tocontinue vertical movement in either shaft past the various story levelsor may be caused to move laterally along a selected one of the lateralguides I6 to stop position at a selected story level, thus leaving themain elevator shaft free and unobstructed for movement of other carstherein.

Referring now to FIGS. 2-4, it can be seen that the shaft 8 is providedwith the central guide means 14 on each side thereof and on oppositesides of the elevator cars 24. Each guide means 14 comprises a housinghaving a guide slot 38 extending along the wall thereof facing theelevator car. Within the housing are three longitudinally extendingtoothed racks 40, 42 and 44. Each elevator car 24 is provided,preferably on the roof thereof, with a drive motor 46 driving through achain 48 to a sprocket 50 on an internally splined sleeve 52 journalledin suitable bearings 54. A pair of splined shafts 56 telescopicallyengage within the splined sleeve 52 to be rotated thereby but being freefor axial sliding movement therein. The outer end portions of the shafts56 are journalled in suitable bearings 58, and at its outer end eachshaft 56 has a gear 60 fured thereon and meshing with a rack 40, 42 or44. The teeth on the three racks are all in alignment so that, where thethree racks are side by side, they are in effect a single wide rack.

Each shaft 56 is provided with a collar 62 fixed thereon and to which ispivoted an end of an adjacent link 64. The other ends of the links 64are pivoted, on a common axis 66, to a piston rod 68 extending from ahydraulic cylinder 70 having a piston therein (not shown) fixed to theinner end of the piston rod 68. A source of fluid pressure 72 isconnected by conduits 74 to a control valve 76 arranged to be operatedby an electrical valve operator 78 to direct pressure to either end ofthe cylinder 70 through conduits 80. Thus, the shafi 66 may be caused tomove from the extreme right hand position shown in FIG. 3 toward theleft. Such movement will draw the collars 62 and hence the shafts 56 andgears 60 closer together, caus ing the gears 60 to move from meshingengagement with rack 44 into meshing engagement with rack 42 and theninto meshing engagement with rack 40, all for a purpose to be described.Referring also to FIG. 5, a guide and selector roller device 82 isfreely journalled on each shaft 56 and is provided with a groove 84therein loosely engaging in the guide groove 38 in the housing fortracltway 14. Thus, the roller devices 82 serve as guides for theelevator car to guide it along the trackways 14 while maintaining thegears 60 in mesh with the selected racks. The bearings 58 are providedwith recesses housing torsion springs 86, one end of which is anchoredto the bearing and the other end of which is anchored in the adjacentguide roller 82. Thus, the springs 86 hold the guide rol lers normallyin a predetermined orientation. The portion of the guide roller 82 onthe outside of the trackway 14 has diametrically opposed extending armportions 88 (see FIGS. 4 and 7), each of which terminates at its outerend in an inwardly directed lug or ear 90. The spring 86 normally holdsthe roller 82 in such position that the arms 88 extend generallyvertically, as shown in FIG. 4.

The inner face of each guide roller 82 is provided with a recess housinga compression spring 92 having one end seated in the recess and theother end bearing against a selector or control arm member 94. A pair ofguide pins 96 guide the member 94 for sliding movement along shaft 56but prevent rotation relative to the shaft, and the spring 92 normallyholds the member 94 in its innermost position, as shown in FIG. 5,against heads or abutments 97. The member 94 extends laterally in onedirection from the shaft 66, at right angles to the arms 88, andterminates at its outer end in an outwardly directed ear or lug 98.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, which are enlarged views of a portion ofthe system showing a fragment of a central guideway 14 and one of thelateral guide means 16. The outermost rack 44 extends vertically andcontinuously the full length of each central guide member 14. The middlerack 42 extends vertically alongside rack 44 between story levels but iscurved inwardly to extend along the top of each of the lateral guides16, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The innermost rack 40 also extendsalongside the racks 42 and 44 between story levels but is curvedoutwardly to extend along the bottom portion of the lateral guide 16, asalso shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. As shown in FIG. 6, the guide slot 38 iswidened at the juncture of the guides 14 and 16 so as to form aT-junction. The outer face of the housing for the guideways l4 and I6 atthe T-junction described is provided with a guide or cam rib 100extending toward the elevator car. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the rib100 extends only along the curved portion of the adjacent rack. In likemanner, the inner face of the housing is provided with a curved guiderib or cam 102 extending along only the curved portion of the guide slot38.

The electrical control 78 for the valve 76 may respond to any desiredsignal produced either in the associated elevator car or by aninstrumentality at any of the story levels. Assume that a car is movingupwardly in shaft 8. For normal operation the valve 76 will be in suchposition that the gears 60 are in mesh with the outermost racks 44 sothat the car will continue to move upwardly. Under these conditions, theroller 82 is oriented as shown in FIG. 4 where the lugs 90 will misseach of the curved ribs 100 and spring 92 holds member 94 in the innerposition shown in FIG. so that the lug 98 misses or passes the curvedribs 102 as the car moves upwardly past each story level. When it isdesired to cause the car to stop at a selected story level, the valve 76is actuated, just prior to reaching story level to pull the gears 60inwardly to the limit of their travel and into mesh with the rack 40.When this happens the hub [04 of each gear 60 engages the control member94 and forces it outwardly against the action of spring 92 so that itslug 98 is then in position to engage the inwardly directed curved rib102. By this action the lug 98 forces the gear 60 to follow the curvedrack 40 (see FIG. 6 at A) to cause the elevator car to then movehorizontally along the rack 40 in guide 16 to stop position where thecar can be automatically stopped for loading or discharge of passengersor freight. As soon as the car has passed the curved portion of rack 40,the lug 98 moves free of the inner end of the curved rib 102 and spring86 then turns the roller 82 to a position of orientation, as shown inFIG. 6 at B. When it is desired to move the car from the described stopposition into the shaft 8 for movement upwardly therein, the valve 76 isactuated to move the gears 60 outwardly from the position just describedand into mesh with intermediate rack 42 which extends along the top ofthe guide means 16. Rotation of the motor 46 then causes the gear 60 todevelop traction against the rack 42 and move the elevator car 24outwardly toward the shaft 8. As the mechanism 26 approaches theguideway junction, the uppermost lug on the arm 88 of guide roller 82will engage the outwardly extending rib (see FIG. 6 at C) to enforce thegear 60 to follow the curved rack 42 into the vertical portion of theguideway 14 and the elevator car then progresses upwardly in the shaft 8to its next stop position.

When a car reaches the top of the shaft 8, it follows the curvedguideway 14 into the joining portion 20 of the central guide and theelevator car passes through an opening 106 (see FIG. 1) in the partition12 and continues on to the central vertical guide in the shaft 10 fordownward movement therein. It will be obvious that all of the mechanismsdescribed function in the same manner in the shaft It) to cause anelevator car to leave the central guideway and enter any selected one ofthe horizontal guides 16 for stopping at any desired story level.

While not shown or described, it will be obvious to those skilled inthis art how control of the valve 76 may be accomplished to enable anyperson on a car or at any story level to cause either an up-going car ora down going car to stop at a selected level. It is also contemplatedthat suitable sensing means (not shown) he provided to cause a car to beheld at the level where it has stopped or to be stopped elsewhere in theevent another car is moving in the adjacent shaft or is sufficientlyclose or so positioned to present the danger of collisron.

Referring now to FIGS. 8, 9, l0 and 11, the embodiment shown thereinemploys exactly the same elevator cars as described with reference tothe previous embodiment, the principal difference being in thearrangement of the shafts and guide means. In FIGS. 8 to II, all partsidentical to those described with reference to FIGS. l-7 bear the samereference numerals.

[n the FIG. 8 arrangement the upshatt 8 and the downshaft 10 are quitewidely separated with sections of floor slabs 4 therebetween. In thisarrangement the up cars and the down cars stop at opposite sides ofcorridors 106 between the elevator shafis. Another principal differencein this embodiment is in the arrangement of the car guides at thelowermost or main story level 107. Usually, in a multi-story buildingthe greatest congestion occurs at the main floor by passengers waitingto board elevator cars. As shown in FIG. 8, the down shaft 10 is widenedat the level of the main story and the guide 14 divide: into twobranches 108 and 110. The rack arrangements are the same as thoseleading from the central guide N to the lateral guides 16 whereby a downcar may be selectively directed toward a stop position at the main floorcentral corridor 112 or to a stop position outwardly therefrom. Thus,two cars can stop and unload at the main floor level at the same time.The branches I08 and are both directed into a lowermost guide 114 fortransferring the cars to the up shaft.

The up shaft 8 likewise is widened at the main story level and in whichregion the central guide comprises to branches 116 and 118 convergingtoward and meeting the central guide 14 centrally of the portion ofshaft 8 above the main story level 107. The lower transfer guide 114 hascommunication with the branches 116 and 118 whereby a car mayselectively be caused to rise along the branch 118 or proceed to andrise along the branch 116. In general, the means for selectivelydirecting cars into the branches 108, 110, 116 or 118 are essentiallythe same as the means described for guiding elevator cars to and fromthe lateral guides 16 (already described. The arrangement at thejuncture of branch 118 and transfer guide 114, however, is of slightlydifferent construction. Please refer to FIGS. 9 to 11. Assume anelevator car 24 is proceeding toward the left along transfer guide 114.The guide wheel 82 is normally held by spring 86 so oriented that itsarms 88 and lugs 90 assume a generally vertical position relative to thevertical axis of the elevator car, as already described. However, a camshoe 120 is fixed to the outer side of the upper edge of transfer guide114 at the lower end of branch 118 in position to engage one of the arms88 of guide roller 82 and tilt the same in a clockwise direction, asshown in FIG. 10 in phantom line at D. Such tilting of the arms 90 alsoswings the am 94 upwardly to the position shown at D. If it is desiredthat the car rise in branch 118, the controls are actuated to shift thegear 60 into mesh with rack bar 40, which curves upwardly into branch118 and as the car reaches the curved portion of the rack 40, lug 98engages the interior curved cam rib 102 to force the car to moveupwardly in branch 118 in the manner already described. If it is desiredthat the car 24 moving to the left on transfer guide 114 continue onpast branch 118 to branch 116, the gear 60 is left in mesh with thecontinuous rack bar 44 and the spring 92, already described, holds thecontrol arm 94 and its lug 96 inwardly sufficiently for so that tiltingof the arms 90 as shown at the right side of FIG. 10 will have noeffect. The lug 96 will merely pass inwardly of the curved rib 102 andthe car will continue along the rack portion 44. FIG. 9 merelyillustrates how a car descending in branch 108 will be guided by curvedrib 102' onto the transfer guide 1 14 along rack bar 42 in a manneralready described.

While a limited number of specific embodiments of the invention havebeen shown and described herein, the same are merely illustrative of theprinciples involved.

l claim:

1. An elevator system for a multi-story structure comprismg:

an elevator shaft defining a generally vertical pathway extending pasteach story of said structure; first guide means for guiding elevatorcars for vertical movement in said shaft along said pathway;

second guide means at each story level for guiding an elevator car fromsaid first guide means laterally of said shaft, out of or into saidpathway, and for supporting the same in a stop position to receive ordischarge passengers or articles at said story level while leaving saidpathway un-obstructed;

a plurality of elevator cars in said shaft;

selectively operably control means on each car for selectively causingsaid car, moving in said pathway, to engage one of said second guidemeans at a selected story level and thereby move out of said pathway toa stop position whereby others of said elevator cars can move along saidpathway past said selected story level; and

drive means for moving each of said elevator cars along said first guidemeans in one direction independently of movement of the other cars andalong said second guide means in either direction, to or from said firstguide means.

2. An elevator system as defined in claim 1 including a second elevatorshaft adjacent said firstmamed elevator shaft and having said first andsecond guide means therein; further guide means joining said first guidemeans at adjacent ends of said shafts for guiding said elevator carsfrom one end of one shaft to the adjacent end of the other shaft wherebysaid eleva tor cars may all move upwardly in one shaft and downwardly inthe other in a closed orbital path.

3. An elevator system as defined in claim 1 wherein said drive meanscomprises a motor means on each elevator car drrvtngly connected to adrive member; said first and second guide means including traction meansengageable by said drive member; and means for selectively engaging saiddrive member with the traction means of either said first or secondguide means.

4. An elevator system as defined in claim 2 wherein said first andsecond guide means are arranged, at a main story level, of saidstructure, whereby an elevator car may be directed to either of at leasttwo stop positions at said main story level and whereby at least two ofsaid elevator cars may be simultaneously stopped at said two stoppositions.

5. An elevator system as defined in claim 4 wherein one of said furtherguide means is below said main story level and arranged to guideelevator cars from either of said two stop positions selectively intoeither of two stop positions at said main story level of the othershaft.

1. An elevator system for a multi-story structure comprising: anelevator shaft defining a generally vertical pathway extending past eachstory of said structure; first guide means for guiding elevator cars forvertical movement in said shaft along said pathway; second guide meansat each story level for guiding an elevator car from said first guidemeans laterally of said shaft, out of or into said pathway, and forsupporting the same in a stop position to receive or dischargepassengers or articles at said story level while leaving said pathwayun-obstructed; a plurality of elevator cars in said shaft; selectivelyoperably control means on each car for selectively causing said car,moving in said pathway, to engage one of said second guide means at aselected story level and thereby move out of said pathway to a stopposition whereby others of said elevator cars can move along saidpathway past said selected story level; and drive means for moving eachof said elevator cars along said first guide means in one directionindependently of movement of the other cars and along said second guidemeans in either direction, to or from said first guide means.
 2. Anelevator system as defined in claim 1 including a second elevator shaftadjacent said first-named elevator shaft and having said first andsecond guide means therein; further guide means joining said first guidemeans at adjacent ends of said shafts for guiding said elevator carsfrom one end of one shaft to the adjacent end of the other shaft wherebysaid elevator cars may all move upwardly in one shaft and downwardly inthe other in a closed orbital path.
 3. An elevator system as defined inclaim 1 wherein said drive means comprises a motor means on eachelevator car drivingly connected to a drive member; said first andsecond guide means including traction means engageable by said drivemember; and means for selectively engaging said drive member with thetraction means of either said first or second guide means.
 4. Anelevator system as defined in claim 2 wherein said first and secondguide means are arranged, at a main story level, of said structure,whereby an elevator car may be directed to either of at least two stoppositions at said main story level and whereby at least two of saidelevator cars may be simultaneously stopped at said two stop positions.5. An elevator system as defined in claim 4 wherein one of said furtherguide means is below said main story level and arranged to guideelevator cars from either of said two stop positions selectively intoeither of two stop positions at said main story level of the othershaft.